But he says no missiles re-aimed at NATO nations

April 9, 1999
Web posted at: 12:43 p.m. EDT (1643 GMT)

MOSCOW (CNN) -- Russian President Boris Yeltsin warned NATO
Friday not to push Moscow toward military action over Kosovo,
saying this could trigger a possible world war. Meanwhile,
the Kremlin denied that Russian missiles had been retargeted
toward NATO countries.

Yeltsin's remarks came during what some observers described as the most forceful and extensive public review of Russian policy in more than six months, a time during which Yeltsin often has been seriously ill.

The wide-ranging statements, televised for a longer length
than usual, came as Russia's opposition-dominated lower house
of parliament, the Duma, was preparing for an April 15 debate
on moves to impeach the president.

"I told NATO, the Americans, the Germans: Don't push us
towards military action. Otherwise, there will be a European
war for sure and possibly world war," Yeltsin said in a
meeting with regional leaders.

Earlier in the day, Yeltsin said a NATO ground operation in
the Serb province of Kosovo would not be left unanswered by
Moscow.

"They (NATO) want to bring in ground troops, they are
preparing for that, they want simply to seize Yugoslavia to
make it their protectorate ... we cannot let that happen to
Yugoslavia," Yeltsin said.

The Duma, which is dominated by communists and nationalists,
has called for military support for Yugoslavia, a fellow Slav
and Orthodox Christian nation.

But Yeltsin spoke of the need for caution and diplomacy.

"I repeat again: Russia will not get involved if the
Americans do not push us," he said.

Seleznyov comments said to be misunderstood

In Brussels, NATO spokesman Jamie Shea sought to reassure
Russia that ground troops would be considered only in terms
of the peacekeepers needed to secure a peace agreement.

"It cannot be in Russia's long-term interest to isolate
itself in the Balkans with (Yugoslav President Slobodan)
Milosevic at a time when he himself is more isolated than
ever among the countries in the region," British Foreign
Secretary Robin Cook said in London Friday.

The speaker of the Russian Duma, communist Gennady Seleznyov,
quoted Yeltsin earlier Friday as saying he had ordered
nuclear missiles to be targeted toward NATO members involved
in the bombing of Yugoslavia, and backed a political union of
Russia, Belarus and Yugoslavia.

But the Kremlin later denied this, and Seleznyov's spokesman
said his boss had been misunderstood.

Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, considered a key player in the
Kosovo crisis, said he was not aware of any presidential
order to retarget Russia's nuclear missiles.

Ivanov further said that a Russian reconnaissance ship in the
Adriatic was not passing on intelligence to Yugoslavia in its
conflict with NATO. Russia sent the Liman, a small
eavesdropping vessel from its Black Sea fleet, to the
Mediterranean last week.